updated 12:10 pm EDT, Thu July 2, 2009

HTC Hero at FCC

HTC's Hero is likely bound for AT&T if an FCC filing is indicative of plans. The test entries show the phone using both the 850MHz and 1,900MHz bands that would be necessary for HSPA-based 3G on AT&T's network and which aren't present in the current version, which only recognizes Asia- and Europe-friendly 900MHz and 2,100MHz frequencies.

It's unclear if the version at the agency is just a direct port of the Hero or the Lancaster, a leaked variant of the Hero destined for AT&T that has both a cosmetically very different design and a slide-out keyboard. A direct conversion of the Hero raises the possibility both that AT&T may have another Android phone or else that HTC may sell the Hero unlocked. [viaEngadget]

I'd be very happy with an unlocked, direct-sale HTC Hero. Right now the only way to buy an Android phone in Canada is from Rogers, which sells the G1 at a punitive no-contract price in order to make their on-contract prices look good.